Pttls_Assignment_1

Describe What Your Role, Responsibilities and Boundaries Would Be as a Teacher In Terms of the Teaching / Training Cycle The role responsibilities and boundaries faced by teachers in the lifelong learning sector are multi faceted and evolving. They can be measured using the teacher training cycle as a framework that is an ongoing cycle of assessment, planning and evaluation. Before describing the teacher training cycle in more detail and looking at the roles, responsibilities and boundaries of a teacher, I feel it is important to clearly differentiate between them. A role involves some concept of expected behaviour connected to a position. As a teacher there are agreed expectations associated with the role. A responsibility can be seen as duty to deal with or take care of something and a boundary in this context could be viewed as the boundary between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. The teaching / training cycle is made up of five distinct stages. These are Identifying Needs, Planning and Design, Evaluating, Identifying Needs and Delivering. For the purposes of this essay I will look at each stage of the cycle and comment on the diverse roles, responsibilities and boundaries that are contained within that section. Identifying Needs This is where the initial assessment of the student’s needs and course should take place. The role of the teacher in this area could entail completing a Needs assessment of prospective students using a variety of techniques. This may include a face to face interview, formal enrolment, written questionnaire and a review of the student’s prior learning. This will enable the student to make an informed decision about whether the course is relevant to their needs and expectations and also allow the teacher to create an individual student file that will grow, as they move through the stages of the teacher / training cycle. The key responsibilities of the teacher in this stage are to effectively plan the course content based on agreed curriculum content and to identify the needs of learners taking account of any additional support needs that learners may have. The boundaries at this stage should be clear as they will impinge on all future learning. The teacher should provide an effective role model to students, respect their right to confidentiality be ware of relevant safeguarding and Health and Safety legislation. Planning and Design At this crucial stage in the cycle the main role of the teacher will be to effectively plan their sessions to meet the needs of their students. The aims and objectives of the course should be apparent and the learning environment should be prepared. The teacher should also ensure that they have the necessary resources and plan for any specialist equipment that may be needed. The foremost responsibilities at this period are to ensure that the distinct needs of all learners are catered for. The teacher should ensure that they know anything about their learners that may affect their teaching of their learning. Creating a group profile can be a useful tool that builds a picture of learner’s age range, skills and learning styles. This will require constant evaluation and updates. Having a contingency plan in case of untoward circumstances will also be essential at this point. Boundaries to be considered here are sticking to the curriculum content and planning the course with key deliverables in mind. Delivery The role of the teacher at this juncture is to deliver the course content using a variety of methods, activities and resources. This needs to be conveyed in a flexible manner using clear communication. Delivery should use a mix of formal and informal methods that allows for students to participate and interact. Creating an appropriate learning environment is an additional requirement of the teacher’s role. A primary responsibility of a teacher at this phase is the checking and reporting of learner attendance and achievement. Other crucial factors to consider are to give learners every opportunity to participate on equal terms with other students and to engage all learners equally. Furthermore, the teacher should make certain that they are up to date with subject developments, be well prepared and give constructive feedback to learners. I feel that it is appropriate at this point to look at boundaries in terms of professional and personal boundaries. The professionalism of teachers emphasizes their responsibility to learners and it is underpinned by the Code of Professional Practice for teachers in the lifelong learning sector that was introduced in April 2008. The focus of this is based around six key principles: • Professional Integrity • Respect for others • Care of Learners • Continuing Professional Development • Disclosure of criminal offences • Responsibility towards the Institute for Learning Assessment The central role of the teacher in assessing learners is to monitor progress and keep accurate records related to this. This should be a continual process as students develop and account for individual and group needs. A further role of the teacher at this point is to assess levels of participation of students so that positive feedback can be provided to enable progress. The reliability of any assessment methods used should also be evaluated. One of the main responsibilities’ during assessment is for this to be an accurate and impartial means of monitoring a student’s progress. This should meet the needs of students and be inclusive and non-judgemental. Evaluation The role of the teacher at this point is to have a structured approach to evaluate the delivery of the teacher and the performance / progress of the student. The content of the course should also be reviewed and the use of reflective diaries can provide a valuable insight into what students feel about their progress. The responsibility of the teacher during evaluation is to ensure this process is impartial and constructive. They should create an effective rapport with learners that allows for an informed exploration of the course. In conclusion, it is evident that the roles, responsibilities and boundaries of a teacher in the lifelong learning sector are varied and often cover a multitude of different tasks. Roles are associated with responsibilities and they play a role in taking a professional approach to teaching. Boundaries are a part of endorsing codes of practice and being an effective role model. References • GRAVELLS A (2008) Preparing to Teach In The Lifelong Learning Sector. Exeter: Learning Matters Limited. • COLES A (2004) Teaching In Post – Compulsory Education: Policy Practice and Values. London: David Fulton Publishers • CURZON, L.B. (2003) Teaching In Further Education. London: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd Tuesday, 04 May 2010 Richie Boswarva Page 3 12/05/2010